Emotional Intelligence Predicting Leadership Effectiveness: Mediating Role of Personality Traits

Abstract

In recent past the investigations on connection between leadership and emotional intelligence have become significant and one of the most attentive subject in any organization and management research. However, very few studies have addressed the role of personality traits in the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness. This study therefore, was designed to examine the interceding impact of personality traits between the relationship of emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness among managers. The study was carried out with a sample of 260 male executive heads and managers of different organizations in Multan. Their age range was between 32 and 60 years. All the participants provided data on three questionnaires; Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, Ten Item Personality Inventory, and Leadership Effectiveness Scale along with a demographic variable sheet. Results indicated that the emotional intelligence significantly predicted the leadership effectiveness. Emotional intelligence was found significantly correlated with personality traits of emotional stability and extraversion. Results pertaining to personality traits indicated that emotional stability and extraversion personality traits were further positively correlated with effective leadership. Findings suggested that personality traits of emotional stability and extraversion played mediating roles between the relationship of emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness among heads and managers. The study findings have the implications for the organizations while assigning the task of leadership to the new recruitments by keeping their level of emotional intelligence and personality traits for effective leadership. Limitations and future recommendations are also discussed.